Barcelona officials say no to Dubai-esque development

Barcelona officials say no to Dubai-esque development

Barcelona officials are outraged over plans to construct a 300-metre “space hotel” – complete with a zero-gravity spa and vertical wind tunnel – on an artificial island off the coast of the city.

Describing the plans as not in line with his vision of the city, the city’s mayor, Xavier Trias, commented: “We have no need or desire to take on projects of this nature. We are a city of culture, knowledge, of creativity, and of innovation, and our project [to develop the city] will follow a different path.”

The €1.5 billion hotel designed by Spanish architect Erik Morvan is aimed at guests who wish to travel to distant galaxies. The proposed design offers over 2,000 hotel suites and residences alongside a 24-hour “space mall” and a marina filled with parks, pools and beaches. Windows would feature transparent glass displays of the galaxy, which guests could turn on and off at the touch of the button.

“This seems more suitable for somewhere like Dubai. Any plan to advance Barcelona must be in keeping with the present model of the city,” said a representative from the Barcelona planning department.

The developer, US-based Mobilona, is confident that the space hotel concept will be popular and has already unveiled plans for similar projects in Hong Kong and Los Angeles.

If plans go ahead, the building will become the tallest hotel in Europe.